FS2004 Eastern Whisperliner Airbus A300

This repaint package portrays the Eastern Whisperliner variant of the Airbus A300, designed for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2004. Developed by SGA, it offers precise animations, dynamic reflections, cargo/passenger door functionality, and additional custom visuals for an authentic flying experience. Repainted by Steve Drabek and supported by several notable contributors, this modification adds an iconic wide-body jet once operated by Eastern Airlines under the “Whisperliner” designation.

Key Technical Highlights

• Custom Animations: All flight surfaces and doors open smoothly. This includes passenger and freight compartments.
• Dynamic Shine: Polished exterior texturing ensures realistic reflection effects.
• Illumination Details: External lighting, including navigation and beacon lights, matches real-world layouts.
• Wing Perspectives: Carefully detailed views replicate the vantage points of actual Airbus A300 flights.

Base Model Requirement

This release only includes the texture set. You must acquire the freeware base airplane (file name: sgaa3b42.zip) from the Fly Away Simulation mod library beforehand. Once obtained, follow the steps below to install the repaint.

Installation Process

1. Unzip: Extract the contents of this package to your main FS2004 directory and confirm the Use folder names option so that the texture folder named texture.eaw is placed in the Aircraft\SGA-A300B4-200 directory.
2. Configure Aircraft.cfg: Open the aircraft.cfg file in the SGA-A300B4-200 folder and append the following details underneath the last [fltsim.X] entry, incrementing XX to the next available number:

[fltsim.XX]
title=SGA A300B4-200 Eastern Whisperliner
sim=a310
model=
panel=
sound=
texture=eaw
kb_checklists=
kb_reference=
atc_airline=Eastern
atc_flight_number=472
atc_id=N221EA
atc_heavy=1
ui_manufacturer=Airbus
ui_type=A300B4-200
ui_variation=Eastern Whisperliner
description=Eastern Whisperliner repaint by Steve Drabek
visual_damage=1

Save the file, close it, and your newly painted A300 will be ready to load in your flight simulator.

Aircraft Background Notes

The Airbus A300, introduced in the early 1970s, was the first twin-engined, wide-body aircraft produced by Airbus. Eastern Airlines labeled these jets as Whisperliners to emphasize low cabin noise levels. In real-world operations, this model often served domestic and regional routes, striking a balance between capacity and efficiency.

Credits for Development

• Erick Cantu: Primary model creation and original textures
• Chris Trott: Technical advisory input
• Bill Lutz: Additional technical guidance
• Harald Nehring & FrankWei: Provided A310 flight dynamics
• Albaro Villegas: Maintenance facility planning references
• Fraser Turner: Custom animations integration
• Paint Contributors: Repaint by Steve Drabek, metal engine texturing by Eric Cantu, window and metal fuselage texturing by Mike Baumann